U.S. patent number 7,347,334 [Application Number 11/301,691] was granted by the patent office on 2008-03-25 for tape library storage system having a switching rack mechanism.
This patent grant is currently assigned to International Business Machines Corporation. Invention is credited to Jeffrey L. Thorn, Raymond Yardy.
United States Patent |
7,347,334 |
Thorn , et al. |
March 25, 2008 |
Tape library storage system having a switching rack mechanism
Abstract
An apparatus for transporting a storage media cartridge within a
data storage library is disclosed. The apparatus includes a first
pair of rack and guide rail, a second pair of rack and guide rail,
and an accessor capable of moving on the first pair of rack and
guide rail or the second pair of rack and guide rail. The first
pair of rack and guide rail is located orthogonally from the second
pair of rack and guide rail. Located at an intersection between the
first pair of rack and guide rail and the second pair of rack and
guide rail, a turn plate may change a moving direction of the
accessor. The turn plate includes two racks and four guide rails
with a conical shaped rack tooth located at an intersection of the
two racks.
Inventors: |
Thorn; Jeffrey L. (Tucson,
AZ), Yardy; Raymond (Tucson, AZ) |
Assignee: |
International Business Machines
Corporation (Armonk, NY)
|
Family
ID: |
38138220 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/301,691 |
Filed: |
December 12, 2005 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20070131630 A1 |
Jun 14, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
211/41.12;
G9B/15.14; G9B/15.142 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B
15/6825 (20130101); G11B 15/6835 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47G
19/08 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;211/26,1.51,41.12,40,162,163 ;312/223.1,265.1,265.4 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Glessner; Brian E.
Assistant Examiner: Bradford; Candace L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Dillon & Yudell LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for transporting a storage media cartridge within a
data storage library, said apparatus comprising: a first rack and
guide rail pair, wherein said first rack is in parallel with said
first guide rail, and said first rack has a plurality of rack
teeth; a second rack and guide rail pair, wherein said second rack
is in parallel with said second guide rail, and said second rack
has a plurality of rack teeth, wherein said second rack and guide
rail pair is located orthogonally from said first rack and guide
rail pair; an accessor capable of moving from said first rack and
guide rail pair to said second rack and guide rail pair; and a turn
plate located at an intersection between said first rack and guide
rail pair and said second rack and guide rail pair for changing a
moving direction of said accessor, wherein said turn plate includes
two racks and four guide rails, wherein said turn plate includes a
conical shaped rack tooth located at an intersection of said two
racks.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus further
includes a plurality of guide rollers, wherein widths of said
plurality of guide rollers are equal to widths of said guide
rails.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein an inner profile of any of
said guide rails is identical to a profile of any of said racks
between their teeth.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said four guide rails on said
turn plate are arranged in a square formation.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said two racks on said turn
plate are arranged in a cross formation.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said turn plate is capable of
being rotated by said accessor.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said turn plate is always
aligned with said first rack and guide rail pair or said second
rack and guide rail pair.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to data storage libraries in general,
and in particular to a data storage library having a robotic
assembly operating on a guide rail. Still more particularly, the
present invention relates to a tape library storage system having a
switching rack mechanism.
2. Description of Related Art
An automated data storage library typically uses a mechanical robot
to pick and place data storage cartridges into media drives and
empty cartridge slots. The mechanical robot is often a
self-supporting mechanism having a picker assembly at the end of an
arm that can be moved in two or more directions. The robotic
movement is commonly controlled by some type of actuator, and the
number of actuators is often equal to, but not limited by the
number of directions the mechanical robot moves. By using the
electronic encoders on the actuators, the picker assembly can be
positioned in proximity to the media drives or cartridge slots.
Some attempts have been made to alleviate the constraints of stand
alone robotic arms by implementing carousel structures, draw cable
devices, and track/rail type systems. These systems have some sort
of guide rail (or track) and a carriage that moves the storage
media cartridges to and from the media drives. The guide rail forms
a path for directing the carriage to any desired position, be it in
a continuous loop of a carousel, a straight line, or other
combinations of straight and curved sections.
The present disclosure provides an automated tape library storage
system having a switching rack mechanism for altering the moving
direction of a mechanical robot.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
an apparatus for transporting a storage media cartridge within a
data storage library includes a first pair of rack and guide rail,
a second pair of rack and guide rail, and an accessor capable of
moving on the first pair of rack and guide rail or the second pair
of rack and guide rail. The first pair of rack and guide rail is
located orthogonally from the second pair of rack and guide rail.
Located at an intersection between the first pair of rack and guide
rail and the second pair of rack and guide rail, a turn plate may
change a moving direction of the accessor. The turn plate includes
two racks and four guide rails with a conical shaped rack tooth
located at an intersection of the two racks.
All features and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent in the following detailed written description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention itself, as well as a preferred mode of use, further
objects, and advantages thereof, will best be understood by
reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative
embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,
wherein:
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an automated data storage library in
which a preferred embodiment of the present invention can be
implemented;
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the configuration of the internal
components of a storage frame within the automated data storage
library from FIG. 1, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a switching rack mechanism within a
corner storage frame from FIG. 1 having an accessor approaching a
turn plate, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a switching rack mechanism having
an accessor stopped on a turn plate, in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a switching rack mechanism having
an accessor in the middle of a rotation, in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a switching rack mechanism having
an accessor completed a rotation, in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a switching rack mechanism having
an accessor leaving a turn plate, in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, and specifically to FIG. 1, there is
depicted an isometric view of an automated data storage library in
which a preferred embodiment of the present invention can be
implemented. As shown, an automated data storage library 10 has a
left-side service bay 13, a right-side service bay 14 and multiple
storage frames 11, including a corner storage frame 15. A storage
frame may be added to expand or removed to reduce the number of
storage frames 11 and/or functionality of automated data storage
library 10. One example of automated data storage library 10 is the
IBM 3584 Ultra-Scalable Tape Library manufactured by International
Business Machines Corporation of Armonk, N.Y.
With reference now to FIG. 2, there is illustrated an isometric
view of the configuration of the internal components of a storage
frame within automated data storage library 10, in accordance with
a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, storage
frame 11 includes a front wall 17, a rear wall 19 and multiple
storage cells 16 for storing data storage cartridges that contain
data storage media. Storage frame 11 also includes multiple data
drives 27 for reading data from and/or writing data to data storage
media. An accessor (or robot) 18 is used to transport data storage
media between storage cells 16 and data drives 27. Data drives 27
may be optical disk drives, magnetic tape drives, or any other
types of drives that is capable of reading from and writing data to
data storage media. Accessor 18 includes a gripper assembly 20 for
gripping data storage media and may include a bar code scanner 22
mounted on gripper assembly 20 to "read" identifying information
associated with the data storage media.
Storage frame 11 is arranged for accessing data storage media in
response to commands from at least one external host computer
system (not shown). Storage frame 11 may optionally include an
operator panel 23 (or other user interface) that allows a user to
interact with storage frame 11. Storage frame 11 may also
optionally include an upper input/output (I/O) station 24 and/or a
lower I/O station 25 for allowing data storage media to be inserted
into storage frame 11 and/or removed from storage frame 11 without
disrupting library operations.
Storage frame 11 may be configured with different components
depending upon the intended function. The configuration of storage
frame 11 shown in FIG. 2 has a rack 31 and a guide rail 32.
However, other storage frames, such as corner storage frame 15 from
FIG. 1, also includes a switching rack mechanism for changing the
moving direction of accessor 18.
Referring now to FIG. 3, there is depicted a perspective view of a
switching rack mechanism within corner storage frame 15, in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As
shown, a switching rack mechanism 30 includes a first set of rack
31/guide rail 32 and a second set of rack 33/guide rail 34. Rack
31/guide rail 32 intersects with rack 33/guide rail 34 at a 90
degree angle (or orthogonally) from each other. Rack 31 and guide
rail 32 are parallel to each other in the same manner that rack 33
and guide rail 34 are parallel to each other.
An accessor, such as accessor 18 from FIG. 2, can travel along the
direction of rack 31/guide rail 32 by having a circular pinion 35
and a pair of guide rollers 36 to move along rack 31 and guide rail
32, respectively. Similarly, the accessor can travel along the
direction of rack 33/guide rail 34 by having pinion 35 and guide
rollers 36 to move along rack 33 and guide rail 34, respectively. A
turn plate 37 is located at the intersection of rack 31/guide rail
32 and rack 33/guide rail 34 for assisting accessor 18 to change
its moving direction from along rack 31 and guide rail 32 to along
rack 33 and guide rail 34.
Turn plate 37 includes guide rails 38a-38d and racks 39a-39b. Guide
rails 38a-38d are equal in length and are arranged in a square
formation. Racks 39a-39b are equal in length and are arranged in a
cross formation. As shown in insert x, a substantially conical
shaped rack tooth 41 is located at the intersection of racks 39a
and 39b. Conical shaped rack tooth 41 allows pinion 35 to travel
along rack 31 straight through rack 33, and vice versa, without any
interruption. The symmetrical square formation of guide rails
38a-38d and the symmetrical cross formation of racks 39a-39b allow
guide rails 38a-38d and racks 39a-39b to align with rack 31/guide
rail 32 and rack 33/guide rail 34 at any given time after turn
plate 37 has completed its rotation.
For example, in FIG. 3, accessor 18 is moving along the direction
of rack 31 and guide rail 32. In order for accessor 18 to change
its moving direction, accessor 18 would stop at turn plate 37, as
shown in FIG. 4. At such point, turn plate 37 begins to rotate, as
depicted in FIG. 5, to order to align accessor 18 along the
direction of rack 33 and guide rail 34, as shown in FIG. 6. After
the rotation of turn plate 37 has been completed, accessor 18 can
begin moving along the direction of rack 33 and guide rail 34, as
depicted in FIG. 7.
In order to provide a smooth and seamless direction switching for
accessor 18, the widths of guide rollers 36 are equal to the widths
of their mating guide rails 32 and 38c (as depicted in the insert
of FIG. 4) and other guide rails 34, 38a, 38b and 38d. In addition,
the grooved inner profiles of guide rails 32, 34 and 38a-38d are
the same as the profiles of racks 31, 33 and 39a-39b between their
teeth. For example, the grooved inner profile of guide rail 38a is
the same as the profile of rack 39b between its teeth, as depicted
in the insert y of FIG. 5.
Accessor 18 can rotate turn plate 37 having racks 39a-39b and guide
rails 38a-38d when required. The spring loaded detents are included
to ensure that turn plate 37 is always "square" to rack 31/guide
rail 32 and rack 33/guide rail 34 even if the rotating mechanism on
accessor 18 fails in the midst of its rotation. The symmetrical
arrangement of the racks and guide rails on turn plate 37 along
with rack 31/guide rail 32 and rack 33/guide rail 34 ensure that
accessor 18 will be able to traverse a rack no matter which
detented position accessor 18 is in.
As has been described, the present invention provides a data
storage library having a switching rack mechanism for altering the
moving direction of an accessor.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with
reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those
skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be
made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.
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